This application claims the priority of German Application No. 100 31 157.1, filed Jun. 27, 2000, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
The invention relates to a receiving device for pedals of a motor vehicle comprising a mounting plate on which an accelerator pedal, a brake pedal and a clutch pedal are swivellably disposed.
In a known manner, the foot controls of a motor vehicle comprise a subassembly including an accelerator pedal, a brake pedal and a clutch pedal which, either individually or together, can be installed on a mounting plate into a motor vehicle. In the case of a vehicle with an automatic transmission, there is no clutch pedal, while the clutch pedal is required in the case of a manual transmission.
An object of the invention is to provide a receiving device for pedals of a motor vehicle which receives the pedal as a constructional unit and, in the case of an automatic transmission, a simple installation or removal of the clutch pedal is ensured.
According to certain preferred embodiments of the invention, this object is achieved by way of the clutch pedal being swivellably held in an insert which forms a preassembled constructional unit with the clutch pedal, which constructional unit can be fastened between projecting legs of the mounting plate and is constructed to be optionally removable. Additional advantageous characteristics are contained in the subclaims.
Preferred advantages achieved by way of certain preferred embodiments of the invention are that a clutch pedal can be removed from a receiving device and installed into it in a simple manner without the requirement of a high-expenditure mounting. According to certain preferred embodiments of the invention, this is advantageously achieved in that the clutch pedal is swivellably held in an insert which forms a constructional unit with the pedal. This constructional unit is fastened between two projecting legs of the mounting plate so that an optional installation or absence of the clutch pedal is permitted.
So that the absence or the installation of the clutch pedal can be implemented without any high mounting expenditures, the insert for the clutch pedal can be fastened, on the one hand, by way of an existing continuous bearing bolt for the brake pedal and, on the other hand, by way of a separate fastening screw between the legs of the mounting plate.
An optimal bracing of the pedal insert on the mounting plate between the legs takes place in that the bearing bolt for the swivellable receiving of the brake pedal is connected with a fitted-over sleeve of the bolt, which sleeve forms a support between the inner receiving leg for the insert and another outer supporting leg for a head of the bearing bolt on the mounting plate.
A good stability of the fastening according to certain preferred embodiments of the invention is achieved particularly in that the insert has a U-profile-shaped cross-section, and the bearing bolt as well as the fastening screw are arranged at a vertical distance from one another.
A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawings and will be described in detail in the following.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.